A Blood Stain Where She Once Stood
by DestinChild
Summary: What was going through Sousa's head as he looked at the blood stain on Stark's driveway. Different scene ending then the episode.


I own nothing dearies.

How could this have happened? They had been so careful. Taking different routes and even multiple cars to throw off any tails. They never talked about where they went or what they passed to get there. No one at the SSR even knew where she was staying. Yet somehow Whitney Frost and her mobster boyfriend had managed to find Peggy at Howard Stark's estate.

Daniel Sousa knelt over the blood stain on the driveway and tried to breathe. His hand hovered over the dried puddle, the emotions running through his body causing his hand to shake. His leg was killing him remaining in the awkward position, but he couldn't move.

He had failed her. After everything they had been through and all the dancing around each other that they had done, and it all ended at this blood stain. They hadn't even kissed. They had been so close, but now they would never have their chance and it was his stupidity and stubbornness that had impeded them.

He had fled New York because of his feelings for Peggy. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect her to show up in LA for him. Believing he had moved on, he pushed her away, but anyone could see that he still cared. It took Violet calling him out on his feelings and giving back his engagement ring for him to realize that he had just buried his feelings for Peggy, not moved on from them.

He had every intention of leaving Peggy be after that, seeing as her and Dr. Wilkes had formed a connection, but Peggy ruined those plans. Them almost kissing in the surveillance van had Daniel opening his heart to her again and believing that they could possibly be together. He talked with her, supported her, and backed her up even when he didn't agree with her. But it all led to nothing, but a blood stain on Stark's driveway.

Daniel pushed aside his confusion as to how Peggy's location had been discovered. He pushed aside his regret at the loss of one of the best agents the SSR had ever known. He buried the heartbreak for the future they would never have. He held back his tears for a time when he could let them flow in peace. For now he grasped his anger and his desire for revenge and focused on those feelings to give himself the strength to do what needed to be done. He would mourn Peggy when he put her killers into the ground and recovered her body.

Daniel looked up as a car drove through the gates to the estate. He hobbled into a standing position and placed himself between the approaching car and the blood stain. It didn't seem right for someone to drive over where Peggy had last been alive. He prepared to demand what had happened when the woman he believed to be dead exited the car.

Daniel stared in slack jawed awe as Peggy exited her car and looked at his frozen state.

"Daniel?"

Daniel limped over to Peggy as fast as he could and just barely stopped himself from barreling into her.

"You're okay...," started Daniel, dumbly, as his eyes did a slow sweep of Peggy's body, looking for any hidden injury

"Yes," said Peggy slowly, her face a picture of confusion.

Unable to articulate what had put him in such a state, Daniel simply looked back and forth between Peggy and the blood stain. Peggy being the incredibly smart woman that she was, understood.

"Mrs. Jarvis," whispered Peggy regretfully.

"Is she..."

"She is stable for now. She has yet to awaken from surgery though."

Daniel let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. Good," said Daniel looking down at his feet.

He had assumed the worst and let his morals fall to the wayside in the wake of his loss. Now he felt guilty that his drive to avenge had diminished when the victim was no longer Peggy.

"Daniel, are you okay," asked Peggy as she gently laid her hand on his arm.

Daniel grabbed her hand and simply held it in his. As he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand he allowed himself to acknowledge that she was fine. They both were.

"Yeah. Just a little shaken by everything that's happening," admitted Daniel quietly, still focusing on Peggy's warm hand joined with his.

"It will all work out for the best. Now come along. I need to drop some things at the hospital for Mr. Jarvis before we track down Ms. Frost."

Peggy made to pull away and head inside the house, but before she could Daniel pulled her flush against him and kissed her. Although the kiss was chaste, there were so many emotions behind it that Peggy and Daniel were both left breathless as they finally pulled apart.

"For luck," said Daniel with a small smile as he began to pull Peggy toward the house, her hand still engulfed by his.

"For luck," repeated Peggy with a hopeful smile.

They were both getting through this, thought Daniel. He would allow for no other outcome.


End file.
